A HIGHLY-INFLUENTIAL UN report which backs HFCs in its bid to halve the global warming contribution of CFCs and their replacements by 2015 has come under fire from environmental groups.
The report, entitled Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System, is designed as a guidance document for policymakers but is criticised by MIPIGGS which maintains that adoption of the report could lead to a 'vast' increase in HFC emissions.

A press statement from the environmental group says This report is a huge missed opportunity that will probably make climate change worse not better because it will lead governments to allow HFC emissions to increase vastly, when they could be largely eliminated.

Not surprisingly, the report was welcomed by the pro-HFC lobby; EPEE, the The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, said the report clearly points to HFCs as part of the solution as ODSs replacements and in terms of predictions for substantial emissions reduction via containment and energy efficiency.

The report, which promotes containment and responsible use as the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, shows that while HFC emissions are rising, total emissions of CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs have been reduced by a third. It also predicts that HFCs contribution to overall global warming will make up just 1% of the total by 2015.